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Olympics And Politics Don't Mix - or do they?

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    #32
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    They may mix but in my view should not. While one could take the cynical approach and see druggies everywhere and the loss of Olympic ideal etc, but there are always elements of it that stand out. I see opportunism in the
    protests and good luck to them. The flame is an easy target.

    Their purpose is to highlight their grievances. But China is not going to dance to anyone's tune. They don't need to economically or politically. Attempts to bully them may make people feel good but imo will be to no avail.

    Engagement as we have learnt here ourselves is what works in the long run.

    SA has been mentioned by a few. That sports boycott went on for all of 20 years and was regularly subverted, because on a sporting level they represented something people wanted to measure themselves against.
    In the end it DeKlerk's pragmatic politics and willingness to change, that pointed the way.

    The last Olympic boycotts, from 1976 and the embarrassment that was 1980 were followed the Eastern block sulk in 1984. But they went on and the world went on. Whatever way these games are boycotted, they will produce lots of noise, hot air and inevitably some degree of violence, but the issues will still remain once the Games are over.


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    #33
    ateam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 986 ✭✭✭ateam


    A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »
    Sport and politics do mix and should mix. The Olympics has probably been the one event where this has been true for a long time

    Sport is politics: that’s a hurdle that can’t be jumped

    Anyone who is involved in sport is not thinking about politics. They are hoping to win at whatever sport they compete in. I don't see how you can justify that sport and politics should mix. No one who says that thinks about the athletes.


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    #34
    estebancambias
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,103 ✭✭✭estebancambias


    I don't have any strong opinions, but sport and politics do mix, and as a previous poster said should mix.


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    #35
    estebancambias
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,103 ✭✭✭estebancambias


    ateam wrote: »
    Anyone who is involved in sport is not thinking about politics. They are hoping to win at whatever sport they compete in. I don't see how you can justify that sport and politics should mix. No one who says that thinks about the athletes.

    1986, England against Argentina? Have you heard the reports about the Argentinian players that day?


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    #36
    Manic Moran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,398 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manic Moran


    ateam wrote: »
    To ask an athlete who's trained for their whole lives for the Olympics to boycott it is ridiculous and unfair.

    Quoted as it's a rather important point. Really, if the Olympics are boycotted, the only people who really get affected are the athletes, who don't have much say in foreign policy.

    NTM


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    #37
    Kev_ps3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,604 ✭✭✭Kev_ps3


    They only mix when the west want them to mix! I bet in 2012 when the Olympics are in London and the Brits have troops across half the middle east then politics wont mix!


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    #38
    ateam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 986 ✭✭✭ateam


    estebancambias wrote: »
    1986, England against Argentina? Have you heard the reports about the Argentinian players that day?

    Nope and I don't care.

    So should politics interfere with music, films, science, poetry...I mean where do we draw the line! I can't understand why people think sport and politics should mix.


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    #39
    leninbenjamin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,983 ✭✭✭leninbenjamin


    ateam wrote: »
    So should politics interfere with music, films, science, poetry...

    uhhh... what? that's one of the most ridiculous things i've ever heard. you've never listened to any Bob Dylan then have you?


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    #40
    ateam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 986 ✭✭✭ateam


    leninbenjamin wrote: »
    uhhh... what? that's one of the most ridiculous things i've ever heard. you've never listened to any Bob Dylan then have you?

    But that's Bob Dylan interfering with politics or getting involved in politics and not the other way around. Politicians shouldn't get involved in sport like they shouldn't get involved in music, films etc.

    Sport is just an easy target, I hope the athletes in particular the Irish athletes just ignore these people who think that politics and sport should mix.


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    #41
    yawtin
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭yawtin


    So what was the purpose of the Special Olympics in Ireland?

    Yes China want a bit of show-case but does any country that applied for hosting Olympics not want to show case themsleves?


    I wonder did China get to host for that some people want to make a show of China?


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    #42
    SkepticOne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,718 ✭✭✭SkepticOne


    So far it seems to be Tibet that is getting the most of attention. An interesting thing to look out for in the run up and the games themselves will be Team Darfur. These are a group of 200 athletes that are going to speak out on the issue of Darfur including the government of the PRC's involvment in Darfur from within China.


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    #43
    Black hole sun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 70 ✭✭Black hole sun


    ateam wrote: »

    So should politics interfere with music, films, science, poetry...I mean where do we draw the line!.

    Lol wut? You mean have never heard any music or poetry or seen any films with a political theme?



    As far as politicising the Beijing Olympics goes, seeing that China in the past boycotted both the 1956 Melbourne Olympics (because Tawain was allowed to compete) and also the 1980 Moscow Olympics (in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan) they can hardly complain about the same treatment being directed towards them.

    http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/feature-boycotts-countries.html


    http://www.china.org.cn/english/null/116819.htm


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    #44
    ateam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 986 ✭✭✭ateam


    Black hole sun wrote: »
    Lol wut? You mean have never heard any music or poetry or seen any films with a political theme?


    The question is should sport and politics mix. Of course there are music and films etc that are political, but that's not because politicians force it. Like with sport, no one should force sport and politics together. If an athlete wishes to speak about politics that's their business.

    BUT politics and sports shouldn't mix.


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